


𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑬𝒏𝒅

by pvradise



Category: All Elite Wrestling, Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Fluff and Angst, I'm Bad At Tagging, M/M, Unrequited Love, Why Did I Write This?, dean is in love, here i go again, original female character is rude
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2020-11-11
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:02:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27499846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pvradise/pseuds/pvradise
Summary: Dean thought he would be used to it by now, the feeling that leaves his mind fuzzy and his hands clammy, but the truth is, the more he realized he couldn't have him, the more intense his feelings became.And boy, was he in the deep end.
Relationships: Dean Ambrose | Jon Moxley/Roman Reigns, Roman Reigns/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑬𝒏𝒅

**Author's Note:**

> Ah 𝑦𝑒𝑠, it’s me again after months of silence. 
> 
> I do plan on continuing the ”Keeping Steady” series, and hopefully I can have the next part up soon.
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated. 
> 
> P.S Thinking about making one more chapter for this one. Gif credit to 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒄𝒌𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚 on tumblr. You can also find me on tumblr @undisputedshield.

❝Because what's worse  
than knowing you want something,  
besides knowing  
you can never have it?❞

  
― James Patterson, _The Angel Experiment_

__

august| _california_

♥︎

**DEAN DOESN'T THINK HE** can take it anymore. He's tried his hardest to tough it out, to soldier on, and pretend to be okay when he was most certainly not. _Patience, man_ , Roman would always say to him whenever it was close to the end of the school day. He always saw the signs — how Dean couldn't sit still or how his left leg furiously shuddered. _We're okay — you're okay_. He'd place a hand on Dean's leg until he settled down. _Patience_.

  
It's only when his plans with Roman are once again interrupted that he feels like he's reached his breaking point. Dean doesn't consider himself possessive or anything remotely close to that, but he feels his stomach swirl with jealously when he sees Roman with _her_ hanging on his arm.

"Hey, _uce_ ," Roman gives Dean a soft smile that makes his breath catch in his throat. "I told you she was coming, right?"

Dean surprises himself when he strains a fake smile. " _Right_."

It was the last time Dean would see Roman for months since he finally settled on his top school, Georgia Tech — a school that was far from home. Dean was happy when he found out, nothing but big smiles for his best friend's future. It was when he got home, snuggled under his comforter, that the reality of it all hit him: everything was about to change.

So Dean was really looking forward to spending the day with him, so much so that he put extra effort into his appearance. But no, Blair Hovington, queen bee of everything that was wrong with Grove Heights, just had to slither her way into everything Roman did.

  
  
” _I know it's last minute, but she won't take no for answer,_ " Roman's voice was low and apologetic, and Dean pictured the pulled look on his face. " _I know this is important to you_."

_No shit_ , Dean had grumbled in his head as he threw on a baseball cap over his shaggy hair. " _I get it, man. Girlfriend first_."

” _Oh, come on_ ," he sounded like he couldn't believe Dean would say that. " _I want it to be just us, too, but she's_...."

Dean didn't need to hear the rest. He's heard this same song for the past year. " _She's your girl, and you just can't leave her hanging – I fucking get it_."

Dean wishes he didn't.

”Roman, baby," Blair looks up at Roman from under her artificially long eyelashes with an innocent smile playing on her lips. Dean hates the way she casually places a hand on his bicep, drawing a finger up and down his arm in a lazy yet sensual motion. "Could you get me some cheese fries? Dean and I will find a table nearby."  
  


  
Roman hesitates, regarding the way Dean's face contorts in agitation before walking away. Dean doesn't stand around long enough for Blair to strike up a conversation and pushes past a few people before he finds an empty table close enough to the food stand Roman was ordering at.

He kicks his bag under the table and slides on the bench, the hot sun gazing down at him menacingly. When Blair catches up, sweat is gathering near her eyebrow, and her boobs are spilling out of her low-cut top.

“You have some nerve." Blair spats, throwing her dirty blond hair over her shoulder. Dean would admit, she was conventionally pretty, and even though she was the last person he wanted to be around, he could see why Roman took up her company.

Dean looks to his left and then his right. "You're talking to me?"

  
  
Blair makes a noise in the back of her throat and slams her hand down on the table, and Dean stares up at her like she's gone mad. "Real cute, but I'm not in the mood for your little games. I'm on to you, Ambrose."

Dean snorts. "On to me? No thanks."

Her eyes narrow and her lips pull up in disgust. "I wouldn't touch you with a 10-foot pole."

Dean claps. " _Great_. We've established our mutual dislike for one another. Now get the fuck out of my face."

Blair snarls. "Listen here you _leech_ —" Dean laughs to himself because this girl couldn't be serious. "— you stay the hell away from him, you got it? He doesn't want you, and he never will."

Dean thumbs his chin. "I didn't peg you for the jealous type."

"Jealous? Of what, you?" she giggles, placing her hand on her chest. "Oh, darling, I could never bring myself down so low."

"Then why do you feel the need to say all of this?"

Dean cocks his head to the side, a smile tugging at his lips. He refused to fall into her trap and be intimidated by her. He knew his place well enough and didn't plan on crossing boundaries anytime soon.

Blair's mouth opens and closes in the same breath. She lowers herself on the bench, glancing at our surroundings, before resting her arms on the table. "I'm not stupid, Dean. I see the way you look at him when you think no one's watching. The way you're always at his side no matter what he's doing."

”Like you?"

She sneers. "I'm his _girlfriend_ ," she smirks when Dean flinches at the word. "You will never be anything but his friend. He will never touch you the way you want him to. He will never kiss you until you go weak in the knees. And he will never —” she scoots closers to him, her voice dangerously low. "— _ever_ love you like you love him."

Dean's hands curl into a fist in his lap, his nostrils flaring. He _hates_ her. He hates everything about her. From her fake tan to her fake eyelashes down to her stupid, fake nails. He hates that she could get under his skin so easily. Most importantly, he hates himself for wanting something he could never have.

"So your little fantasy is just that. A fucking fantasy. And on Sunday, he'll be leaving for Atlanta and college while you're stuck here rotting in this shitty town. I bet he'll forget all about you in a week."

Dean presses his lips together, trying to blink away the tears welling in his eyes. She was right. Roman would be moving to a college nearly two thousand miles away. There was no way their friendship could survive that.

"Is that what you want?" Dean rubs at his eyes with the back of his hand. Blair looks over him, clearly proud of herself. "You want me to feel bad about myself?"

”No," she hisses. "I want you out of his life for good."

Dean bristles with indignation. “That’s not your call to make.”

”Oh, really?” she says too calmly. “I’ll be moving to Tennessee this fall. You know, Dean, Vanderbilt isn't too far from Georgia Tech.”

Dean's eyes darken, and he opens his mouth to say something when he catches Roman making his way towards them over her shoulder.

”What?” her lips curl into a sardonic smirk. “Cat got your tongue?”

_Patience_ , Dean breathes.

Roman finally reaches them and drops the tray of food on the table, sliding on the bench next to Blair. He runs his knuckles along his jaw where some slight stubble has appeared, glancing between the two of them with critical eyes. "Jesus, what the hell is with you two."

Blair sucks in her cheeks and blows out a frustrated breath. “Nothing, babe."

“Your girlfriend is a manipulative bitch."

Both Roman and Blair look turn towards Dean with shocked expressions.

“Don't look so surprised, _darling_." 

”You little b-"

“Woah, _cool it_ ," Roman grabs her arm, his eyebrows hitching up his face. "What did you say to him?"

“What!" she shrieks, slapping his hand away. "Why does it have to be me that did something?”

She pouts and Roman stares at her with a blank expression. “I'm serious, Blair.”

“I didn't say anything that wasn't true,” Blair shrugs, reaching for her cheese fries. “If he's that bothered by it, he can tell you about everything that we discussed. Isn't that right, Dean?"

She stares Dean down with a look of satisfaction because she knows he won't say a word. _Evil bitch_ , Dean wants to say, but he begrudgingly keeps the words strapped to his tongue. Instead, he rolls his shoulders back and finds the eyes that make his stomach flutter with a stampede of butterflies.

“Dean...” Roman says, lightly. He drags his tongue across his bottom lip. "What is she talking about?"

_(I love you_.)

Dean shakes his head, releasing a strangled sigh. "Nothing, man. She was just telling me about your college plans."

  
  


Roman’s eyes narrow. "College plans? Really?"

Dean nods.   
  


  
  


“Then why is your face so red?"

Dean hesitates, driving his hand into his collarbone, and Roman's eyes follow his movements. "It's hot out."

“ _Yeah_ ," Roman's eyes flicker between Dean and Blair. "Let's go for a quick walk."

When Blair starts to get up, Roman shakes his head. "Just me and Dean."

She opens her mouth to protest, but Roman tugs Dean up by the arm and drags him in a random direction. Dean doesn't try to focus on how close they are or how his skin is tingling right where Roman's hand is.

Dean thought he would be used to it by now, that feeling that leaves his mind fuzzy and his hands clammy, but the truth is the more he realizes he couldn't have him, the more intense his feelings became.  
  


And boy, was he in the deep end.  
  


“Talk," Roman orders, stopping at a wall near the entrance of the food court where they were shielded from the summer sun.

Dean shifts uneasily from one foot to the other, avoiding Roman’s gaze. 

“Hey," he frowns, trying to catch Dean's eyes. "It's just me."

_Yeah, that's the problem._

“What do you want me to say," he leans against the wall for support. "I told you what happened."

“No," he says, flatly. "You lied in my face. Have you forgotten that I know you better than anyone?"

Dean grimaces. "No, but things have changed."

“What's changed?"

“Me. _Us_. Everything."

Roman rubs the nape of his neck, worrying at his bottom lip. "I don't get why you feel like you can't talk to me. Is it because of her? Because I’ll-”

“God no," Dean tries to laughs it off, but his voice still has a bitter edge. "She just made me realize some things."

“And those things were?"

Dean lifts a shoulder, glaring at the pavement. "That I'm waiting for something that's never going to happen."

The silence that settles between them is deafening. After a moment, Roman clears his throat and captures Dean's hand, tracing circles on the inside of his wrist. His brows pull together as he stares down at their interlocked hands. "I know."

Dean glares up at Roman, his heart beating furiously against his ribcage. "You know what?"

”Dean," his eyes fall shut as he releases a deep sigh. When he opens his eyes again, there's something there that Dean doesn't recognize. "It's okay. _We're okay_."

Dean feels his cheeks warm. "Yeah?"

Roman loops his free arm around his waist, pulling Dean into his embrace. Dean hesitantly wraps an arm around Roman, shoulders relaxing. His scent wrapped around him like a warm fuzzy blanket, and Dean wishes it could always be like this.

But Roman pulls back all too quickly, tipping Dean’s chin up with a finger, a soft and unguarded look warming his brown eyes. “Yeah, Ambrose. I promise.”

A slow smile spreads across Dean’s face. _We’re okay._

_Sometimes, Dean didn't mind living in the deep end._


End file.
